Jim Goulart

Another nice Timber Rattlers photo gallery from the Post-Crescent.

Hellweg finds his rhythm with Timber Rattlers by Ricardo Arguello, Post-Crescent media GRAND CHUTE — And now, Johnny Hellweg waits. The 24-year-old pitcher, recently optioned to the minor leagues by the Milwaukee Brewers, pitched six innings, allowing six hits and two runs in getting the 6-2 victory for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in a Midwest League game against the Lake County Captains. Monday afternoon’s win at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium was a nice bounce-back for Hellweg, who had compiled a 0-3 record and 10.97 ERA for the Brewers this season. “I threw some good pitches. The off-speed was the big part of today’s outing,” Hellweg said. “I thought I executed pretty well. Just trying to get back out there again. “I was pretty focused today and had some goals that I tried to execute and I felt I did that well enough. Just try to build off that next time.” And that’s the big question for the Brewers. Did Hellweg do enough to earn a trip back to the big leagues or will the powers-that-be decide he needs more time at the minor league level? The answer may not come for several days as Hellweg takes some time off for the major league All-Star Game. “I thought he executed pretty good,” Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson said. “At the beginning of the game, it looked like there was a definite feel-out period, like he was feeling for some pitches and throwing for some strikes a little bit. But once he got in there, he got into a nice little rhythm. His breaking ball was getting over for strikes and it looked like he got into the competitive flow there.” Hellweg pitched five strong innings in warm, humid conditions, with the radar gun registering his fastball consistently in the 94-to-96 mph range. He struck out four and walked two. He worked himself out of a few jams early, but said he said his main goal was to work on getting his off-speed pitches over for strikes. “I was just going out there trying to work on some stuff,” he said. “Trying to treat some of the guys like different hitters. Just trying to execute some pitches as if they were different guys.” The Timber Rattlers (40-49 Midwest League, 11-13 second half) gave the rangy Hellweg some support with two runs in the second on a RBI double from Victor Roache and an RBI single from Max Walla. Wisconsin added four runs in the fifth. Walla reached on an error and scored on Adrian Williams’ double for a 3-0 lead. With two outs, a grounder up the middle from Michael Reed caromed off second base for a hit that scored Williams. Tyrone Taylor ripped a triple that scored Reed and Garrett Cooper completed the scoring with an RBI single and a 6-0 lead. Taylor also had a sensational diving catch to register the final out of the game. “He’s been that guy for us consistently,” Erickson said. “He brings a lot to the table defensively and at the plate he’s had a nice month-and-a-half as he continues to grow with his development. He’s a guy that has some tools.” Hellweg did run into some trouble in the sixth inning. That’s when Lake County loaded the bases with two outs and Anthony Santander’s pop-up was lost in the sun by the Rattlers’ infield, allowing two runs to score on the error. Hellweg registered a strikeout to end the inning. Taylor Wall hurled three scoreless innings to get his fifth save. “Delivery-wise, he was a lot better, and competing-wise,” Wisconsin pitching coach David Chavarria said of Hellweg. “Sometimes it’s just one of those things where you need to get in little bit of a groove. Just like a hitter, you get into a bit of a slump and you start overthinking a little bit at times and pitchers go through the same thing. “Sometimes it’s an outing and you get back into that groove and the momentum and all those feelings that you had before, when you were really going well, all of a sudden it triggers and you figure something out and I think that’s what happened today.”

VIDEO news report -- WBAY Rattlers highlights, postgame comments from Johnny Hellweg, Matt Erickson

VIDEO from Sunday -- Kentrail Davis singles in Nashville's 3-2 loss to Memphis

19-year-old RHP and Dominican native Milton Gomez makes his stateside (and season) debut tonight for Maryvale. Here are his numbers from his age 17 and 18 seasons in his native Dominican. We're unaware what injury he's been rehabbing.

Helena Pre-Game Audio (Sunday): Southpaw Tyler Alexander talks about the strong start to his professional career

Sure, have the HR derby on, but instead of "Back, back, back" all night, gotta believe that Steve and Helena will be a popular choice among the legions of Link Report diehards tonight. Enjoy! *** Can't wait for Brad's DSL summary. Hide the kiddies' eyes, it won't be for the faint of heart...

You should always digest every morsel (and the video highlights, of course) within Chris' blog posts, but in case you missed it above, tucked in was the Johnny Hellweg commens via BrewCrewBall.

NBC26 TV feature story on the Rattlers' Matt Erickson and his relationship with his father

Nick Ramirez named FSL Player of the Week Brevard slugger hit .526 with five extra base hits and eight RBI last week By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees VIERA, Fla. – The Florida State League announced on Monday that Brevard County Manatees first baseman Nick Ramirez was named the league’s player of the week for the period of July 8-14. In five games last week, Ramirez hit .526 (10-for-19) with two home runs, three doubles, eight runs batted in and seven runs scored. Ramirez had a .571 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage in those five games. Ramirez had two four-hit games last week; once on July 9 at home against Clearwater and again on July 12 on the road at Palm Beach. He has also driven in at least one run in each of the last five games. The 2013 FSL midseason All-Star enters play on Monday, ranked second in the FSL with 18 home runs. Ramirez is one homer away from tying the Brevard County single-season record of 19, which was set by Hunter Morris in 2011. The 23-year-old from Chino Hills, Calif. is also fourth in the league with 61 RBI and 159 total bases. The 2013 FSL Home Run Derby Champion also ranks ninth in runs scored (47) and is tied for ninth in slugging percentage (.489). Ramirez is in his third professional season and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Brewers out of Cal State Fullerton. Brevard County Manatees first baseman Nick Ramirez was named the Florida State League Player of the Week for the period of July 8-14. He hit .526 with two home runs and eight RBI in those five games. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography) http://www.milb.com/assets/images/1/3/4/53846134/cuts/Ramirez_4.7_7t82f5hc_bubp5q7p.JPG

Big week for Honors -- RHP David Goforth, Southern League Pitcher of the Week 1B Nick Ramirez, Florida State League Player of the Week RHP Eduard Reyes, Pioneer League Pitcher of the Week Nice!

Nice write-up / comments from Jimmy Nelson via MLB.com

Manatees still can't snag first place even after a five-game win streak -- ** STANDINGS: AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division AA - Southern League North Division High-A - Florida State League North Division A - Midwest League Western Division Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division Rookie - Arizona Summer League DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division *** NOTE: To view first half or overall standings for Huntsville, Brevard County, and Wisconsin, you'll notice options at the respective links for that. Otherwise it's second-half standings as the default view for those three leagues.

Weather.com: West Palm Beach, FL Grand Chute, WI (Appleton) Helena, MT Maryvale, AZ Boca Chica, DR

Look for Wisconsin media notes at the link just prior to its game time. New this season: Brevard County has media notes; as of now, it's a unique link each day, but look for it just prior to game time each day within the "Stats and Scores" banner here. Also new this season: Helena has media notes; it's a unique link each day, but look for it just prior to game time each day within the "Stats and Scores" banner here

To see tweets as to when the Link Report has been technically "completed" with available links, as well as to know when the new day's Report has been posted, please follow @Mass_Haas on Twitter.

Follow Monday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Brevard County Game One Brevard County Game Two Wisconsin Helena Maryvale DSL Brewers New MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

Programming notes: DVR ALERT! Monday's noontime Timber Rattlers matinee will be broadcast on TWC Sports 32. *** No Brevard audio from a Manatee perspective for this road series, but the Menu above has been updated to indicate you can select the Palm Beach option. Brevard-based audio next available on Wednesday the 17th.

Monday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Nashville: Idle until Rob Wooten and the PCL All-Stars take on The International League All-Stars in Reno Wednesday night; media details Wednesday AM ********** Huntsville: Idle until Taylor Jungmann, Ariel Pena, Brock Kjeldgaard and Adam Weisenburger represent the Stars and the Northern Division in the Southern League All-Star Game Wednesday in Jacksonville; media details Wednesday AM ********** Brevard County: LHP Brent Suter and RHP Jacob Barnes in a douleheader at Palm Beach (Cardinals), 4:05 PM gametime; each contest slated for seven innings Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Palm Beach option ********** Wisconsin: RHP Johnny Hellweg at home vs. Lake County (Indians), 11:45 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime Free Live Audio Link - 1280 AM WNAM Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio. MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; Wisconsin is one of four Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV. So for the $39.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, Stars' road games from four Southern League locales, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games. NOTE: 32 of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel has seventeen games scheduled and WACY-TV My NEW32 plans to show fifteen games. We'll let you know when, but won't be providing day-before DVR reminders, so regularly check for proper channel and time planning (scroll to the bottom of this link). ********** Helena: RHP Barrett Astin at home vs. Ogden (Dodgers), 7:45 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link Voice of the Helena Brewers Steve Wendt is back on board, and this year he's added Twitter to the mix @steve_wendt. We've been treated to Steve's work for many years now (ten!); he is among the very best at the art of the pre-game interview, especially considering how at ease he makes all these first-time professional ballplayers. MiLB.TV -- When the H-Crew makes their way to Idaho Falls (July) and Grand Junction (August), those games will be available for viewing online. ********** Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): at home vs. the Reddette's; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league ********** DSL Brewers: at the DSL Yankees #1 squad, 9:30 AM, although game data won't be available until later in the day

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

VIDEO from Saturday: Nashville's Cole Garner hits an RBI triple in the seventh inning of a 5-4 loss to Memphis And the heartbreaker: Memphis' Chris Swauger delivers a lead with a bases-clearing double in the ninth inning of that 5-4 win over Nashville

Berberet catching on with Timber Rattlers by Dan Kohn, Post-Crescent Media GRAND CHUTE — With Tyler Roberts banged up, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have had to rely heavily on catcher Parker Berberet the past few days. And the Milwaukee Brewers’ 25th round pick out of Oregon State in 2011 has not disappointed. After catching all 12 innings the night before in a 6-4 win over Lake County, Berberet was back in there just a few hours later for Sunday’s afternoon game against the Captains. Instead of wilting in the 86-degree heat, he came up big, throwing out a would-be base stealer, blocking several balls in the dirt and hitting a two-run blast in the fifth inning to give the Timber Rattlers the lead before they gave it up in the ninth in a 4-3 loss. Berberet’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed by Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson. “He was 14-of-14 blocking the baseball yesterday,” Erickson said. “He basically won that game for us. We had some really good pitching yesterday, especially Rodolfo Fernandez with one hit in four innings in relief to pick up the win. (Tyler) Wagner had pretty good stuff, pretty good sink but he was spiking some fastballs early and Berbs did a great job of blocking everything that was thrown up.” Berberet, who is hitting .238, has hit five home runs this season in 54 games, 37 behind the plate. But whether it’s at the plate or catching, Berberet said he just wants to contribute anyway he can. “We’re deep into the season, so we’re grinding it out,” Berberet said. “Anytime I can get into the lineup, I’m happy to be there.” Since rejoining the Rattlers on June 20, Roberts has been the team’s No. 1 catcher, catching all 14 games he has appeared in. He was selected by the Brewers in the 10th round of the 2009 draft out of Jones County, Ga., High School. “We’re a little banged up there and he felt fine,” Erickson said of Berberet. “He hasn’t caught in a while and he was going to go again today and then we are probably going with Roberts in a day game. Then we have a day off, so we’ll be back to healthy behind the plate there.” Berberet’s chance at being Sunday’s hero, however, was dashed by the Captains, who scored three times off reliever Taylor Mangum in the ninth on Joe Sever’s home run, Eric Haase’s RBI double and Anthony Santander’s RBI double. “That’s the way it goes sometimes,” Berberet said. “Mangum has been pitching great. Unfortunately today, he didn’t have it.” Timber Rattlers catcher Parker Berberet takes a pitch during Sunday's game. / Ron Page/Post-Crescent Media http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20130714&Category=APC02060201&ArtNo=307140364&Ref=AR&MaxW=600&Border=0

Post-Crescent Timber Rattlers Photo Gallery via Ron Page

Captains rally past Timber Rattlers by Dan Kohn, Post-Crescent Media GRAND CHUTE — One night after winning in dramatic fashion, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers got a taste of their own medicine. Lake County scored three times in the ninth inning off reliever Taylor Mangum to beat Wisconsin 4-3 at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Sunday. After losing three of their past four games in the final at-bat, the Captains would have none of it this time. Trailing 3-1, Joe Sever homered, Jeremy Lucas singled and pinch-runner Erik Gonzalez went all the way to third on a wild pitch. Eric Haase and Anthony Santander both followed with RBI doubles to fuel the comeback. Wisconsin had been in command since the fifth. “We had control of that ballgame for 8 1⁄3 innings and got the three runs in the fifth with a couple of home runs,” Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson said. “Things were looking pretty good until the ninth inning there when they got the home run and then they got the base hit and then we had the wild pitch, so we had to come off the line and then they sneak one down the line. We weren’t able to make a play there and he gets all the way to third. “That’s the way it happens when you don’t make pitches or you give them free bases with the wild pitch and then the error. Good teams are going to take advantage of it. I believe that team has lost four games in a row in the last at-bat. They were looking for something like this for sure. Unfortunately, it happened for them today against us.” Victor Roache homered with one out and after Garrett Cooper got his first hit as a member of the Timber Rattlers, Parker Berberet followed with a two-run home run. The Captains cut the deficit to 3-1 in the seventh. Logan Vick doubled with one out and scored on a single by Lucas. Jorge Lopez started for Wisconsin and was solid through seven, allowing just one run on three hits. “He did a great job commanding the fastball and moving it to both sides of the plate,” Berberet said of Lopez. “I’d say that was the key to his success today. His curveball has been a work in progress, but he threw a few good ones today. His changeup is his second-best pitch and he threw that well.” Lopez avoided early trouble out of the gate. “He got a little bit of good luck there, good fortune the first inning,” Erickson said. “He came out and was a little eratic. I guess you would call it effectively wild. He hits the first batter and then we throw him out on a steal attempt. Then he walks the next batter on four pitches and we get a double play out of it. “The next time out (in the second), the ball was coming out of his hand pretty nice and he was able to establish the zone and control some counts and did a nice job through seven innings today. Despite his success, Lopez gave credit for his success to his teammates. “A lot of groundballs today,” Lopez said. “My fastball had good location, so I was confident. My team helped me. (Alfredo) Rodriguez made a good play (turning a double play in the first). “My couple of first starts weren’t good. I have confidence now on the mound. I work every day on my curve. That’s what I need to throw much better.” The Rattlers will again be in action today as Johnny Hellweg takes the mound for Wisconsin. Hellweg was acquired last season by the Milwaukee Brewers, along with Ariel Pena and Jean Segura in the Zack Greinke trade with the Los Angeles Angels. Because of the all-star break, the Brewers optioned Hellweg to Wisconsin so he doesn’t alter his pitching routine. He is 0-3 with a 10.97 ERA with Milwaukee.

Brewers rally in eighth, snap three-game skid by Troy Shockley, Helena Independent Record Helena had things in control Sunday afternoon until a sixth-inning hiccup allowed Ogden right back in the game. But the home team responded with a big inning of its own and pitcher Andy Hillis continued his late-game dominance, helping the Brewers snap a three-game losing skid with a 6-3 Pioneer League win. “I felt like we’re a much better team than what we’ve played like for the last few nights, so it feels good,” said catcher Michael Turay, who played a key role in the win both at the plate and behind it. Eduard Reyes got the start for the Brewers and was stellar through his five innings. He gave up just one hit and struck out eight, walking only two batters. Reyes’ performance kept Ogden (13-11) off the board, while Helena (13-11) managed to push an unearned run past his equally impressive counterpart Victor Araujo in the bottom of the first. That run came courtesy of leadoff man Omar Garcia, who reached safely on an infield single and advanced to second on a balk. Dionis Hinojosa then lined a chopper to Jesus Valdez, who bobbled the ball and then rushed a throw to first that sailed high to allow Garcia to trot home. That’s where the score remained until the fifth, when Turay came to bat with runners on the corners and one out. The call from manager Tony Diggs: a suicide squeeze. “The only thing going through my head was just to get the ball down,” Turay said. “I just didn’t want to miss it, and I was hoping for a good pitch.” The call and execution worked perfectly, driving in Jesse Weiss and advancing Nathan Orf to second. He went to third on a wild pitch and, when Renaldo Jenkins laced a single to left, it was a 3-0 Brewers lead. “It’s good when things work out; that way you look like a genius,” Diggs said of his call. “But when they don’t work out, you look like an idiot. So, it worked out well, and the guys executed … that’s all that matters.” Ogden continued to battle and found a crack in the sixth. With reliever Brandon Moore on the mound, a walk and a hit and error gave the Raptors their first run of the game. A wild pitch gave them another, and the contest was tied after a second error. Moore found his groove, though, and got out of the inning and shut Ogden down in the seventh, striking out two. The Brewers — who ended the sixth with a man on third and the seventh with a pair of runner on base — then called in Hillis. In six previous appearances this year, he’d been perfect. Sporting a 0.00 ERA, Hillis had picked up a pair of saves and another two wins, while allowing just four hits through 5 2/3 innings. The hard-throwing righty also had struck out nine. The Raptors got him in a bit of trouble early, putting a pair on with two outs. The runners advanced to second and third on a passed ball. Turay kept Hillis even, though, briefly chatting with him on the mound. The conversation worked, and Hillis got Jacob Scavuzzo to chase one low and away for a strikeout to end the inning. “He saw something he didn’t like, and he came out and cooled me down,” Hillis said. “That’s what good catchers do. It’s always good to have that and to have a guy that will talk to you and cool you down when you need it.” After allowing a pair of batters on to start the bottom half of the eighth, middle reliever Thomas Taylor was pulled for James Baune. He was able to get Weiss to ground out, but then walked Jose Pena to load the bases. And, when his first pitch to Orf went a bit too far inside, the former Baylor Bear was dealt what wound up being the game-winning bruise, an RBI via HBP. Giving Helena a bit more breathing room, though, was once again Turay, who blooped a Texas leaguer into shallow center to score two more. In the top of the ninth — after another chat with his catcher early on — Hillis induced a grounder that led to a double play, then struck out the final batter to end it. “I had the exact same thing last weekend, batter for batter, and I got taken out,” Hillis said. “So it felt good this weekend to finish it. “I was definitely happy for the double play in the ninth. That’s a pitcher’s best friend right there. After we got that, I knew I could strike out the last guy.” Turay knew it, too. And that’s exactly what he told his pitcher during their final in-game conversation. “I just told him to relax,” he said. “Andy throws really hard, and he throws really well. But he tends to rush a bit sometimes, so I just told him to stay calm. “These guys hadn’t touched a fastball all day, and Andy throws harder than anyone we’d had out there. So I told him just throw it down the middle, and these guys aren’t gonna hit it.” The teams will meet again today, a 7:05 PM (8:05 Central) matchup at Kindrick Legion Field. The league will then take Tuesday off for MLB’s All-Star game, and Helena will get back on the road for a three-game series at Idaho Falls. NOTES: Helena first baseman Garrett Cooper was promoted to Wisconsin of the Midwest League on Saturday. He’d played in 16 games for the Brewers, batting .274 with 11 runs and 10 RBIs on 17 hits, including four homers. … Moving from Wisconsin to Helena was Adam Giacalone. In 64 games with the Timber Rattlers, he was batting .249 with 25 RBIs. Giacalone spent his first professional season with the Brewers last year, earning the Jensen Jewelers MVP award after batting .317 with three homers and 32 RBIs. … Also moving Saturday was catcher Clint Coulter, who was transferred to Arizona in the AZL. Playing in nine games for Helena, he was batting .281 with nine hits, including four doubles. … Dionis Hinojosa has now hit safely in his last five games after going 2 for 4 on Sunday.